This invention relates to apparatus for forming tufts of yarn through woven fabric or other backings to form carpets, wall hangings or the like, and more particularly, to a tufting machine for forming loop or cut pile tufts in a backing material from at least one continuous strand of yarn.
Numerous tufting machines, including both hand-operated and motor driven types, have been devised and used in the past. Some prior machies have utilizes a single needle for making an opening through a backing material on which the rug is being formed and simultaneously inserting yarn through that operating to form a loop. Others have used separate needle and looper mechanisms for forming loops. In addition, certain prior machines have included devices for cutting the formed loop into two strands to form cut pile carpets. In some instances, the cutter has been combined with the loop forming member. An example of a hand-driven apparatus is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,057,920 and includes a needle, a loop-forming member, and a cutting member, all of which are reciprocated by hand. Examples of prior motor-driven machines are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,142,276 and 3,645,219.
Numerous problems have been encountered with the prior machines. Most, if not all, have been unable to rapidly and consistently provide loops of the same height above the backing material and/or precisely cut the formed loops in an even pile. The pile of the rugs formed by the prior machines has, therefore, been uneven, necessitating time-consuming shearing to obtain the desired even surface. Although certain machines have attempted to hold the yarn during loop formation, an uneven pile has still resulted.
Many of the prior motor-driven machines have suffered from excessive weight and extreme complexity necessitating frequent repair and considerable down time. Certain prior powered machines included tubular supports receiving therewithin reciprocating members supporting the needle and loop-forming members. These reciprocating members were driven by cranks having connections extending through slots in the tubular supports. Such arrangements, which substantially enclose the reciprocating mechanisms, were subject to frequent breakdown and high wear along the tube slots. Maintenance of the tubular supports was extremely difficult because access to the enclosed elements was virtually impossible without disassembly of much of the machine. In addition, prior powered machines were subject to high vibration, were awkward to handle, and thus, were difficult for many operators to use. Because the machines are used to form decorative designs necessitating frequent, sharp and intricate turns during the tufting operation, the weight, vibration and awkwardness of the prior machines make them undesirable.
Other problems included the inability to maintain the sharpness of the cutting element requiring disassembly of the machine merely to sharpen that element. Also, adjustment to change from cut pile to loop or the size of either was difficult with prior machines. Further, many of the machines had difficulty in consistently pushing and extending yarn through the backing material.
Therefore, a need was apparent for an improved tufting machine which could provide cut or looped pile of a consistently even height, be light, quiet and easy to operate, have high durability, low wear, and be subject to easy maintenance when required.